Logo

Participation Again Bests Population Rank

August 11, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

For the eighth straight year, Michigan ranked seventh nationally in high school sports participation, according to statistics for the 2015-16 school year released recently by the National Federation of State High School Associations. That level of participation continued to best Michigan’s national ranking for total number of residents of high school age, which remained ninth for the fourth consecutive year, and Michigan also again ranked ninth or higher in participation in 26 of 28 sports in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association conducts a postseason tournament.

Michigan’s participation ranking was based on a number of 295,436, with 126,160 girls and 169,276 boys taking part, and included sports in which the MHSAA does not conduct postseason tournaments. The totals count students once for each sport in which he or she participates, meaning students who are multiple-sport athletes are counted more than once.

The state’s girls participation remained seventh nationally for the fifth consecutive year, while the boys participation figure continued to rank sixth. According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures from 2015, Michigan ranks ninth in both females and males ages 14 through 17.

For the second straight year, 13 sports bested the state’s overall national participation ranking of seventh by placing sixth or higher on their respective lists. Six Michigan sports improved in national ranking during 2015-16, while three sports dropped one position.

Michigan girls bowling, girls tennis and girls and boys skiing all improved from fourth to third in national participation ranking, while wrestling improved to seventh and gymnastics one spot to 11th. Michigan also moved up to eighth, from 11th, for 8-player football participation – significant because the state’s 11-player football participation ranking didn’t fall with that increase, remaining at sixth nationally.  

The three sports that fell in national rankings in 2015-16 still remained above population rank – competitive cheer from fifth to sixth nationally, girls track & field one spot to eighth and baseball also from seventh to eighth on its list.

The other Michigan sports that ranked sixth or higher all equaled their national rankings from 2014-15 and included boys basketball at sixth, boys bowling third, boys golf and girls golf both sixth, ice hockey fourth, boys tennis fifth and girls volleyball fourth. Other Michigan sports that equaled their 2014-15 national rankings were girls basketball at seventh, boys and girls cross country both also seventh, boys lacrosse eighth, girls lacrosse 13th, boys and girls soccer both ninth, softball seventh, boys swimming & diving ninth, girls swimming & diving 10th and boys track & field also seventh.

National participation in high school sports in 2015-16 set a record for the 27th consecutive year with 7,868,900 participants – an increase of 61,853 from the year before. After a decline the previous year, boys participation increased about 25,000 to an all-time high of 4,544,574, while girls participation increased for the 27th consecutive year with an additional 36,591 participants and set an all-time high of 3,324,326.

Track and field registered the largest increase in participants nationally for both boys and girls, with an additional 12,501 boys and 7,243 girls. Track and field ranked second to football in boys participants with 591,133, and remained the most popular sport for girls with 485,969 participants. In addition to track and field, six other top-10 girls sports registered increases nationally in 2015-16, including volleyball, soccer, softball, cross country, tennis and lacrosse. After track and field among the top 10 boys sports, soccer registered the largest gain with an additional 7,753 participants, followed by cross country (up 6,710), basketball (up 4,949) and baseball (up 2,248).

Football (1,083,308) remained the most-played high school sport overall and enjoyed an encouraging development. After a decline of nearly 10,000 participants in football the previous year, the number of boys playing 11-player football nationally in 2015 was almost identical to 2014 with a drop of just 309 from the 2014 total of 1,083,617.

Ford Field Parking, Protocols Announced

November 24, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

To provide for the convenience and safety of spectators attending the Michigan High School Athletic Association 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field in Detroit, Nov. 28 and 29, attendees are being advised of a variety of items related to transportation and security – including policies regulating types of bags allowed into the stadium.

Parking will be available in Ford Field facilities and lots to the east and north of the stadium and cost $6. A map identifying the designated Ford Field lot (4) and parking deck can be found on the Football page of the MHSAA Website. (There also are a number of privately-operated parking facilities close to Ford Field, but their pricing may differ.)

Fans also are advised that tailgating, including the setting up and use of grilling equipment, and the consumption of alcohol, is prohibited in Ford Field parking facilities and lots.

Gates A, B and G will be available for public entrance during the event. Ticket sales will begin near Gates A and G at 8 a.m. each day, and the building will open its doors to spectators at 9 a.m.

Tickets are priced at $10 and allow a fan to see all four games in a single day. Spectators leaving the stadium will be required to purchase another ticket for re-entry. Children under the age of 2 will be admitted without charge for this event. There will not be a public Will Call window.

Upon arrival in the building, fans will find their designated seating areas on the South side of the field if their team is the designated home team for their contest and on the North side for the designated visiting team. Home teams this weekend are Clarkston, Muskegon Mona Shores, Muskegon, Grand Rapids South Christian, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Ithaca, Ishpeming and Munising. Brightly lit video boards above the seating areas will display the names of the participating teams each day, and fans should sit on the side of the stadium where they see their school’s name. For general fans, the entire lower bowl of Ford Field will be open for the event. 

Security measures also will be in place to help assure spectator safety. Fans will be subject to a visual search, and Ford Field personnel reserve the right to request patrons open their coats, bags and other item-carrying vessels for visual inspection and deny entrance to individuals who do not cooperate. Items which fans will be prohibited from bringing into the building include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, cinch bags, grocery & paper bags, duffle bags, luggage of any kind, computer and camera bags and large camera cases.
  • Aerosol cans (hairspray, mace, pepper spray, etc.)
  • Animals (except service animals to aid guests with disabilities)
  • Balloons (air or helium)
  • Balls (beach balls, footballs, etc.)
  • Banners or large flags
  • Cameras with lenses longer than five inches
  • Decals, stickers, confetti or glitter
  • Electronic equipment including laptop computers, video recorders and video cameras, and tripods (hand-held video cameras are allowed)
  • Fireworks
  • Food, beverages or liquids (cans, bottles, boxes, flasks, etc.)
  • Illegal substances
  • Knives, pocket knives, box cutters, scissors, etc.
  • Laser pointers
  • Markers (permanent) and/or paint
  • Noisemaking devices (bells, horns, kazoos, whistles, etc.)
  • Objects that can be used as missiles or projectiles (sticks, bats, clubs, Frisbees, etc.)
  • Seat cushions
  • Strollers and infant car seats or carriers
  • Umbrellas
    Weapons

The following items will be permitted after inspection:

  • Small bags, purses and fanny packs that do not exceed 8½ inches by 14 inches by 10 inches. An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at a gate designated for this purpose.
  • Diaper bags (only if accompanied by a child)
  • Binoculars and binoculars cases
  • Cameras and small camera cases (lenses may not measure longer than five inches)
  • Small radios (no larger than the size of a football and used with an earpiece)
  • Small hand-held video cameras (but no tripods or extension cords)
  • Small, compact umbrellas (must be placed securely under seat)
  • Posters and signs without poles or sticks, or larger than what one person can hold.

The complete list of prohibited items can be found on the Ford Field Web site under Policies & Info. Prohibited items that are discovered during security inspections at stadium entrances must either be returned to the owner's vehicle or discarded. Items will not be held for later pickup.

Fans are reminded that all image taking (still and video) may be only for personal, non-commercial use.